• Research and analysis
  • Publishing reports, resources, comment and analysis articles, and the Warrior Nation podcast
  • Raising awareness and debate
  • Supporting others to challenge military influence on young people and wider society

We currently work to raise awareness in the following areas:

Military and defence industry engagement with young people
The UK armed forces visit thousands of schools and youth activities each year with activities aimed at promoting the interests of the military and long-term recruitment. For the past decade the Department for Education has promoted ‘military ethos’ programmes such as cadet units in state schools. The armed forces and the defence industry – including some of the world’s largest arms companies – are increasingly involved in the provision of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education and activities for young people. See more here

Military recruitment age, service justice and other forms of military harm 
The UK is the only country in Europe that recruits 16 year olds into the armed forces and currently one quarter of British Army recruits are under 18. Much of our early work focused on campaigning to raise the minimum age of recruitment to 18 years. We have also raised concerns about terms and conditions for serving personnel, lack of recognition of ethical issues associated with military service and conscientious objection, as well as duty of care, equality and health concerns related to military recruitment and service. As well as monitoring recruitment practices, we currently support the work of partner organisations on the impact of recruitment on the youngest recruits, and support those raising wider concerns about the impact of military culture on service personnel, the military justice system, and unfair terms and conditions. See more here

The influence and normalisation of military in society
We respond to ways in which the military is promoted as a normal part of everyday life, monitoring policies and initiatives which aim to instil uncritical national pride in the armed forces and public support for overseas interventions. Unquestioning support for the military stifles concerns about how young people are recruited and limits debate on alternatives to war. Our current work on the influence of military interests (armed forces and the defence industry) on the UK parliament expands on our previous work around militarism’s impact on democratic institutions and public space. See more here